The Epic Tradition

An epic is a long narrative poem that

celebrates a hero’s deeds.
Epic heroes
Epic heroes

• being of noble birth or high position, and often of great historical or

legendary importance
Epic heroes

• being of noble birth or high position, and often of great historical or

legendary importance

• exhibiting character traits, or qualities, that reflect important ideals of

society
Epic heroes

• being of noble birth or high position, and often of great historical or

legendary importance

• exhibiting character traits, or qualities, that reflect important ideals of

society

• performing courageous, sometimes superhuman, deeds that reflect the

values of the era
Epic heroes

• being of noble birth or high position, and often of great historical or

legendary importance

• exhibiting character traits, or qualities, that reflect important ideals of

society

• performing courageous, sometimes superhuman, deeds that reflect the

values of the era

• performing actions that often determine the fate of a nation or group of

people
Epic conventions
Epic conventions
• The setting is vast in scope, often involving more than one nation.
Epic conventions
• The setting is vast in scope, often involving more than one nation.

• The plot is complicated by supernatural beings or events and may involve

a long and dangerous journey through foreign lands.
Epic conventions
• The setting is vast in scope, often involving more than one nation.

• The plot is complicated by supernatural beings or events and may involve

a long and dangerous journey through foreign lands.

• Dialogue often includes long, formal speeches delivered by the major

characters.
Epic conventions
• The setting is vast in scope, often involving more than one nation.

• The plot is complicated by supernatural beings or events and may involve

a long and dangerous journey through foreign lands.

• Dialogue often includes long, formal speeches delivered by the major

characters.

• The theme reflects timeless values, such as courage and honor, and
encompasses universal ideas, such as good and evil or life and death.
Epic conventions
• The setting is vast in scope, often involving more than one nation.

• The plot is complicated by supernatural beings or events and may involve

a long and dangerous journey through foreign lands.

• Dialogue often includes long, formal speeches delivered by the major

characters.

• The theme reflects timeless values, such as courage and honor, and
encompasses universal ideas, such as good and evil or life and death.

• The style includes formal diction and a serious tone.

Epic conventions

• In ancient Greek epic poems, there is usually the INVOCATION of a muse.

• There is the use of EPITHETS, the listing of heroes and combatants.

• And the beginning is IN MEDIAS RES.

Techniques in Old English Poetry
Techniques in Old English Poetry
• alliteration, or the repetition of consonant (sometimes vowel) sounds at the
beginning of words, which helps unify the lines:

So mankind’s enemy continued his crimes

Techniques in Old English Poetry

caesura, or a pause dividing each line, with each part having two accented
syllables to help maintain the rhythm of the lines
Techniques in Old English Poetry

caesura, or a pause dividing each line, with each part having two accented
syllables to help maintain the rhythm of the lines
Techniques in Old English Poetry

• kenning, a metaphorical compound word or phrase substituted for a noun

or name, which enhances meaning — for example, “mankind’s enemy” used
in place of “Grendel”
Techniques in Old English Poetry
• assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds after the beginning of words in
unrhymed, stressed syllables:

batter these ramparts

In darkness dwells the dragon,
Mankind’s foe amidst the shadows.
In darkness dwells the dragon,
Mankind’s foe amidst the shadows.